As part of Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, we’re going to look at ways that you can support self-published authors! But don’t worry, you don’t need to break the bank to spread a little love and appreciation for your favourite authors.
Whether an author is traditionally published or chooses the self-publishing path, writing, publishing, and marketing a book is a lot of hard work. For self-published authors specifically, there are a lot of unique challenges that need to be overcome. For one, a self-published author is responsible for every aspect of publishing their book, from hiring an editor and book cover artist to marketing and promotion. This is a lot of for just one person to balance! Self-published authors also struggle to get a foothold in traditionally published markets and so it can be a lot harder to promote their book. There simply just isn’t enough marketing support for indies. And the truth is, most authors, even traditionally published ones, struggle to pay the bills.
But this is where YOU can help! Without the support of readers and book bloggers, authors wouldn’t be able to keep on writing books, and they absolutely need and appreciate your support. There are many ways you can help support self-published authors, and these are just a few:
Buy and Read Self-Published Books!
This may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to support self-published authors is to buy their books! Most self-published books are often cheaper than traditionally published ones and frequently go on sale. Many are also enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. If you’re signed up for Amazon Prime, this means you can read as many indie books as you like and the author will generate income from your page reads. There are some amazing self-published authors out there for you to discover (some listed on this very blog!), and indie authors are far ahead in the industry when it comes to writing diversely. If you can’t find a story you want in the bookstore, chances are a self-published author has already written it for you.
Don’t forget to pre-order upcoming books from your favourite self-published authors as well. Pre-ordering is a great way to show authors you’re interested in their books and also tells Amazon’s algorithm (or other online book sellers) that these books are worth promoting.
Post a Review!
Self-published and indie authors absolutely thrive when they get reviews of their books. You may not know, but Amazon’s algorithm will push recommendations to customers once a book hits 10 and then 50 reviews, but many indies struggle to get 10 reviews, let alone 50! Without these reviews, a book may disappear into Amazon’s listings, thus posting reviews are vital for a self-published author. If you’re an Amazon customer, please consider dropping a review of the books you’ve enjoyed. Reviews don’t have to be long or wordy. Just a simple “I loved this book” will suffice! And if you can’t or don’t want to use Amazon, then don’t forget Goodreads. I copy and paste my reviews to both.
You can always post your review to your own website or blog, if you have one. Alternatively, if you have Instagram, then snapping a photo of a self-published book with a review is a great way to get them noticed! Plus authors love seeing beautiful pictures of their books.
Shout About Indies!
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the best ways to promote a book, and it costs nothing! If you loved a self-published book, then please recommend it to your friends and communities. Shout about your favourite authors. They love nothing more to know that people enjoyed their books and recommend them. If you want to go extra, you could recommend it to your local library or suggest it for your book club. Self-published books also make great gifts!
What if you’re struggling to find self-published books you’d be interested in? Then ask the book and writing community for recommendations, or follow bloggers that review and promote indies books, like this one!
Follow an Author’s Content!
Self-published authors spend a lot of time in the bookish and writing community, and one way you can show your support is to follow them on social media and share their content. Like and retweet their posts and you can help promote their books without spending a penny. Many also have websites and blogs and would appreciate having fans check out their content and drop a comment. If they have a newsletter on their website, consider signing up–the best part is you’ll get some cool free content to your inbox.
Indies are always looking to engage with readers, so don’t be shy! I promise most of them don’t bite!
Buy Indies a Coffee!
Some self-published authors may have a Patreon of Ko-Fi account where they share additional content from their books for the price of a coffee. If you’ve got some spare change lying around, then consider tossing a coin to your favourite author. But even if you can’t or don’t want to, you can still help authors out by recommending their books and letting other fans know they can get even more content by joining their Patreon.
These are just a few ways you can support self-published authors! But if you have any other recommendations or suggestions, drop us a comment! Book bloggers love comments too.
